Trainer tips.

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jjm
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Trainer tips.

Post by jjm » Tue Mar 29, 2005 7:32 pm

I flew my trainer kite today and believe I learned some things that might be useful for others in the trainer stage.

You will find many posts on this or other forums talking about things to practice with your trainer. One that always got me was flying with your eyes closed. I've been able to fly the kite without looking directly at it, watching an object, discussing something with a friend, riding a skateboard, keeping an eye on the red tailed hawk circling overhead looking at my kite with a big flying fish logo on it, etc. What I was never really able to do was fly "with my eyes closed".

It may have been due to impatience, but I found if the kite was not doing something I expected it to I would open my eyes and look for the kite. I believe this is because I was basically still devoting all my attention to flying the kite, but removing sight from the picture.

I was at BoardSports last weekend and was playing around on the balance board, or whatever it was -- skate deck with an inner rail that tracks on a grooved wheel, and tried to replicate by standing on a chunk of concrete that was in the field I usually practice at. So after doing that for awhile, I went looking for another one with the kite still in the air -- walking around scouting underneath tufts of grass looking for another rock or piece of concrete.

It kind of registered at this point that by devoting attention to some task at hand, I was flying the kite entirely by feel, letting instinct, muscle memory, or whatever takeover. I believe this is a better simulation than flying blind.

So next time you're out flying your trainer, try to simulate something you might experience after launching your kite. Keep an eye on the ground watching for your board, or other peopleís lines. Scan the area looking for hazards that might need some attention. Try to focus on something other than your kite.

Maybe I'm describing some of this poorly or wrong, but I believe it was a helpful experience today.

Cheers,
Josh

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charlie
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Post by charlie » Tue Mar 29, 2005 8:22 pm

thats it
i used to play a game ..like get the flag
take your mind off kiteing ... and learn to kite!
but ya get a feel for were the kite is .... it will tell you .
very good .you are ready grasshopper.
charlie

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Post by bdawg » Tue Mar 29, 2005 10:22 pm

Josh,
It sounds to me you are well on your way to learning kiteboarding. All of us hammering you to fly the trainer will pay off big time when you have your first lesson. Right on dude!


Blair

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Post by SPAMAN13 » Thu Mar 31, 2005 1:01 am

i was at ocean beach for agood 1 hr today it was a good "session". Unfortunately, there were 5... yes, 5 pitbulls and a pug chasing my kite alover the place.

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Post by Guest » Thu Mar 31, 2005 2:45 am

Yeah, I hate those. There was this nice guy that stopped once and told me that his dogs ripped a few kites, and he paid for them. I don't know if he is proud of it so much that he had to stop and tell me. Better if he kept them on a leash. It is really annoying when you try to mountain board. next time I will show him the spinning leash, he can have his two dogs on a bar.

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Post by jjm » Thu Mar 31, 2005 8:15 am

SPAMAN13 wrote:i was at ocean beach for agood 1 hr today it was a good "session". Unfortunately, there were 5... yes, 5 pitbulls and a pug chasing my kite alover the place.
More incentive to keep your kite up? :)

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Post by SPAMAN13 » Thu Mar 31, 2005 9:14 am

I forgot to mention, the owner has the nerve to ask me to fly my kite to his car so his dogs will follow, what an A$$!

consumerr

Post by consumerr » Thu Mar 31, 2005 12:52 pm

SPAMAN13 wrote:I forgot to mention, the owner has the nerve to ask me to fly my kite to his car so his dogs will follow, what an A$$!
HHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

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Post by Guest » Thu Mar 31, 2005 4:50 pm

SPAMAN13 wrote:I forgot to mention, the owner has the nerve to ask me to fly my kite to his car so his dogs will follow, what an A$$!

you have to be kidding.


Blair

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Post by OliverG » Thu Mar 31, 2005 6:51 pm

Pugs are trippy cool beastly little dogs. That's cool that the owner wanted you to lead the dogs to the car with your kite. Did the pug chasing the kite look like this:
Image

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